US dependence on China for medicines called ‘dangerous’ by lawmakers and experts.

Washington (The Uttam Hindu): During a Senate discussion, US lawmakers and experts warned that the country’s growing dependence on China for key pharmaceutical ingredients could pose a serious national security and public health risk. They said many commonly used medicines in the United States rely on raw materials produced outside the country, making the supply chain vulnerable to disruption.

At a meeting of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, Chairman Senator Rick Scott said decades of shifting pharmaceutical production overseas have weakened the US healthcare system. He noted that essential medicines such as antibiotics, diabetes drugs, and blood pressure medications often depend on foreign-made ingredients, with China controlling a significant share of the global supply chain.

Other lawmakers and experts also raised concerns over the safety and reliability of imported medicines. They said factors such as government subsidies, low labor costs, and weak regulations have helped China dominate the pharmaceutical market, and warned that excessive dependence on foreign supply could threaten both healthcare security and national interests.